The present invention generally relates to systems, methods and containers for storing hazardous waste material and, more particularly, filling devices, systems and methods for transferring hazardous waste material into a sealable container.
Despite a proliferation of systems for handling and storing hazardous waste materials, prior art systems are still unable to effectively confine and control the unnecessary spread of hazardous waste contamination to areas remotely located from the hazardous waste material filling stations. Therefore, an urgent need exists for hazardous waste processing/storing systems that effectively minimize and/or eliminate unnecessary hazardous material contamination.
There is disclosed herein a system for transferring hazardous waste material into a sealable container, the system comprising:
a filling nozzle having:
a valve body having a distal end and an outer surface, the valve body including a valve seat proximate the distal end, the outer surface proximate the distal end being configured to sealingly and removeably couple the valve body to an inner surface of a filling port of the container,
a valve head having a valve face configured to form a seal with the valve seat in a closed configuration, the valve head configured to allow the valve body and the container to be fluidly coupled with one another in an open configuration, and
a valve stem extending axially from the valve head through at least a portion of the valve body.
Preferably, the system further comprises:
a container configured to sealingly contain the hazardous waste material, the container including the filling port.
Preferably, the system further comprises:
a hopper;
a first scale coupled to the hopper and configured to determine an initial hopper weight;
a second scale coupled to the container and configured to determine a container fill weight; and
a processor coupled to the first scale and the second scale and configured to compare the initial hopper weight to the container fill weight.
Preferably, the hopper includes a volume substantially equal to a volume of the container.
Preferably the system further comprises:
at least one vibrator coupled to the hopper.
Preferably, the system further comprises:
at least one vibrator coupled to a bottom of the container.
Preferably, the system further comprises:
at least one vibrator coupled to a sidewall of the container.
Preferably, the system further comprises:
a lift mechanism configured to lift the container toward the fill nozzle
Preferably, the lift mechanism including at least one damper.
Preferably, the system further comprises:
a sensor disposed in the valve head.
Preferably, the sensor is configured to determine a level of hazardous material in the container.
Preferably, the sensor extends distally from the valve body.
Preferably, the sensor is coupled to a wire that extends through the valve stem.
Preferably, the valve body includes:
a first branch section configured to couple to a hopper, and
a second branch section including the distal end and having a proximal end, the proximal end coupled to a drive mechanism configured to move the valve stem.
Preferably, the drive mechanism includes a pneumatic cylinder.
Preferably, the valve stem extends through the proximal end of the second branch section, the proximal end including a seal coupled to a portion of the valve stem.
Preferably, the system further comprises:
a vacuum nozzle configured to be in fluid communication with the container.
Preferably, the vacuum nozzle extends through the distal end of the valve body.
Preferably, the vacuum nozzle includes a filter proximate the distal end of the valve body.
Preferably, the container includes an exhaust port.
Preferably, the exhaust port includes a filter.
Preferably, the system further comprises a vacuum nozzle sealingly and removeably couplable with the exhaust port, the vacuum nozzle being in sealed fluid communication with the valve body in a filling configuration.
Preferably, the outer surface proximate the distal end includes at least one seal.
Preferably, the at least one seal includes at least one o-ring.
Preferably, the valve head extends distally from the valve body and into the container in the open configuration.
Preferably, the container is at least initially under negative pressure.
Preferably the filing port of the container is configured to be sealed closed after decoupling the valve body from the filling port.
A method of transferring hazardous waste material into a sealable container, the method comprising:
coupling an outer surface of a filling nozzle with an inner surface of a filling port of a container to form a first seal;
opening a valve of a filling nozzle to add hazardous waste material into the container, the valve being proximate the first seal;
closing the valve of the filling nozzle;
decoupling the filling port from the filling nozzle and
inserting a fill plug into the filling port, the fill plug forming a second seal with the inner surface of the filling port, the second seal being distally spaced from at least a portion of the first seal with respect to the container.
Preferably the valve includes:
a valve body having a distal end and an outer surface, the valve body including a valve seat proximate the distal end, the outer surface proximate the distal end being configured to sealingly and removeably couple the valve body to the filling port of the container,
a valve head having a valve face configured to form a seal with the valve seat in a closed configuration, the valve head configured to allow the valve body and the container to be fluidly coupled with one another in an open configuration, and
a valve stem extending axially from the valve head through at least a portion of the valve body.
Preferably, the container includes an evacuation port.
Preferably, the evacuation port includes an evacuation plug threadably coupled to the evacuation port, the method further comprising:
allowing air and/or gas to pass through the filter and between the evacuation plug and the evacuation port in a filling configuration and a heating configuration; and
closing the evacuation port with the evacuation plug in a closed configuration.
Preferably, the evacuation port includes a filter.
Preferably, the method further comprises:
drawing air within the container displaced by the hazardous material through an evacuation nozzle coupled to the container, the evacuation nozzle being in sealed fluid communication with the valve body via the container.
Preferably, the method further comprises:
lifting the container toward the filling nozzle via a lifting mechanism to couple the filling port and the filling nozzle.
Preferably, the method further comprises:
weighing a hopper containing the hazardous material to determine an initial hopper weight;
weighing the container while adding the hazardous material to determine a container fill weight; and
comparing, via a processor, the difference between the initial hopper weight to the container fill weight.
Preferably, the method further comprises:
closing the valve once the container fill weight equals the initial hopper weight.
Preferably, the method further comprises:
vibrating the hopper via at least one vibrator while adding the hazardous material to the container.
Preferably, the method further comprises:
vibrating the container via at least one vibrator coupled to the container while adding the hazardous material to the container.
Preferably, the method further comprises:
measuring the level of hazardous material in the container via a sensor disposed in the valve head.
Preferably, first seal includes at least one o-ring.
Preferably, the second seal includes a gasket, the gasket being comprised of one or more of metal, ceramic or graphite.
Preferably, the method further comprises:
applying a vacuum to the container before or during adding of the hazardous material.
Preferably, the method further comprises:
permanently sealing the fill plug to the filling port; and
heating and reducing the volume of the container after permanently sealing the fill plug to the filling port.
Preferably, the hazardous waste material includes calcined material.